NO. 405 DECEMBER 2015 Diana Francis - Honorary Life Time President Contents Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Events...... 2 ell this has come around quick again! It only seemed a few Diary Dates...... 5 Wweeks ago that it was summer and the kids were off, and now Messages From Margate...... 7 I find myself wishing you all the greetings of the season. I should Chairman’s Chat...... 12 have realised the that Christmas is nearly upon us by the fact we Forza Slot.it...... 16 recently had the NSCC/ Hornby Ramsgate weekend, something Carrera Corner...... 23 that I traditional use to judge the countdown to Christmas. fly On The Wall...... 26 This year to be fair, I have actually got my act together with the Ramsgate Weekend...... 30 presents, thanks largely to “Black Friday” with the help of Amazon bits & Pieces...... 37 and eBay, isn’t the internet a wonderful thing sometimes? Ebay Watch...... 49 So the last of the swapmeets was held today, as I finish this Journal, unfortunately I missed it, as Coventry for a day out is just little bit too far out of my range, especially as Christmas is just around the corner, but I hope the event went well and that it may again happen next year? So the next swapmeet is of course, Swindon, which is a little bit later than usual, hopefully the weather is kind and permits my attendance, otherwise my Christmas money will seriously be burning a hole in my pocket before the Milton Keynes event in February. As I have already mentioned the annual Ramsgate weekend has been held, a great event again I think, and thanks to all that attended and to those who helped us over the weekend, it is all much appreciated, even though perhaps we don’t show it at the time! In particular my thanks go to the hotel, who this year had a new events organiser in place, who was around all weekend to assist us with any of our needs or demands, something which hadn’t occurred previously, so thanks to them and in particular to Richard, hopefully he will still be there next year! So all that leaves me to do is on behalf of myself and also the NSCC Committee, wish you all a very merry Christmas and hope you have a good time, with friends and family, and of course I wish you all the best for 2016 and hope to see some of you soon. Until next month. Jeremy

December 2015 1 By Pete Simpson

t has become quite common for items to be released during the year that weren’t I anticipated, many of which are quite desirable, low volume reliveries of catalogue versions. However, this latest unforeseen release, C8545, will probably have limited appeal. It is a spare for the powerbase supplied with the majority of current sets which accepts the flat- style power cable and throttle leads. Unfortunately it lacks the switch of the more common unit which permits the use of two power supplies in order to isolate the two lanes one of our Croydon members tired of my and prevent a surge of power being delivered constant excuses brought a pairing along to when one car departs the track. Of course, for pose. I ignored his offer and photographed the avid collectors, it could turn out to be quite a cars instead. The real things look very nice, rare item which, for the unprepared, would only possibly amongst the best versions of the two be found in a museum of childhood memories Fords. Due to the age of these models, neither in about 2053. are DPR but both are High Detailed and have At last the two elusive Fords have been high intensity headlamps as well as tail lights. found, although not at Sandwich: fortunately Incidentally, the website does claim they are➳

2 DPR but this is in error. So for the record, one in the Journal. I’m just thankful he’ll never know final time, the Escort is C3672 and the Cortina how well they performed in that evening’s is C3670. racing!

The only new cars of which I can bring As well as thanking Richard for the loan of news this month are another couple from Ford: the models, I inadvertently increased the values two Boss 302 Mustangs: if I’d included them last of Jordi Battle’s investment as he can proudly month one would have been decorated in TFL claim to be the owner of the actual cars featured colours! The first of the Boss 302s is that of John Bowe, C3671, as run in the Touring Car Masters Championship in 2011. This is an

December 2015 3 resplendent in Grabber Blue Boss 302, in time for the end of the 1970 season then went on to Australian series, open to all touring cars built compete for a further two years with a range of between 1963 and 1976, although V8s are the respectable results. The car is currently run in most prevalent. Bowe won twelve races, was on the Historic Trans Am series by Robert Canepa. the Podium nineteen times qualified on Pole five times, had four round-wins in the season, set three new lap records during the season and won the Class C category.

The other Ford, C3613, represents the car Both Mustangs feature the latest DPR of Ed Hinchliff. He acquired a new body and chassis although, as race cars, neither is with the help of, and information from Ford endowed with lights. Motor Company, Kar Kraft and Bud Moore It should be understood that although there Engineering built up the race car. Although he are a few cars that I still haven’t seen, this could did not receive the financial help paid to a be due to my being unable to visit the Scalextric factory team, it seems he received plenty of good offices in November. So, in my imagination the will during his labours. The car was completed, few cars scheduled for release in 2015 that I’ve➳

4 not yet reported are all sitting in the design conclusion of the NSCC Weekend’s racing and office, approved and being manufactured. Of a final get together in the pub bar we opted to these, at least three have been delayed due to walk along the seafront and assess the building slight variations that have needed correcting progress. Although the site has been fenced off, subsequent to prototypes being presented for it takes a little bit of interpretation and approval: the other two are a mystery as they are imagination to picture exactly where it will both reliveries of earlier releases. stand: there are two existing structures which One car that has only recently been released will remain, thereby setting a reference location is the Ford Falcon XB, C3402, first reported last for the new construction. The rather shabby November. I’ve included a photo just to remind building with the blue door, the No. 1 Slipway readers what it looks like. Office, obviously has significant historic The Hornby Visitor Centre’s move to a importance so will be retained: the new Hornby dock side location at Ramsgate was mentioned building will be cited just to the right and extend a couple of months ago, with the inclusion of over the existing slipway. artistic impressions of the completed building. As I’m writing this just before the end of As Karen and I had a couple of hours, and a few November, I still can’t reveal details of the 2016 thousand calories to burn, between the range as the Journal should be circulated a few

December 2015 5 days prior to Scalextric revealing the new range on their website. It appears that slot car fans are held in high esteem as we will be the last brand to be announced: Airfix went to press mid- those with web access: take a look at the Track November and Hornby trains were probably Test section of the Scalextric site for progress published early December. However, the design reports on a couple of BTCC cars. ■ team have continued to provide a few clues for

6 There is a report later on in the Journal that will give you a flavour for what happened during the NSCC/ Hornby weekend but in this chat I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of you that attended for helping to create a really great atmosphere during the weekend which I am sure added to everybody’s enjoyment. It was certainly one of the best weekends that I have attended. Thank you also to my fellow Committee members, Jeremy in particular who does most of the organising together with Shaun and Andy for all their hard work without which the weekend would not have been possible. A special thanks to Richard Winter who helped out over the weekend, especially with the auction and also to all those other members who gave a hand aving just returned from yet another when needed. Not forgetting our overseas fantastic NSCC/Hornby weekend in members who came a very long way and who Ramsgate it is hard to believe that by H made the weekend very special. the time you read this another Christmas will be upon us. When you are young of course they The International Federation of Slot can never come quick enough but now I am not Car Clubs so sure. These days by the time you get there you During the NSCC/ Hornby weekend we made begin to wonder what all the fuss was about. our long awaited special announcement. We Thirty years ago and certainly in the 1950s have been working together for some time with and 1960s a Scalextric set would have been our Dutch colleagues from the SLN (Scalextric somewhere at the top of every boy’s Christmas Liefhebbers Nederland) on the creation of an wish list. Either that or a train set. However International Federation. these days I am certain that this is not the case As a result during the weekend a charter was and the question of where Scalextric now sits in signed by both our clubs which created the the nations public consciousness is a serious issue International Federation of Slot Car Clubs and it was one that came up during the NSCC/ (IFSCC). Both the NSCC and the SLN Hornby weekend. immediately became members of this new International Federation which does not in any NSCC/Hornby Weekend way change the nature of our Club. There was a lot of discussion about how we can The drive behind the creation of the encourage young people to become involved in Federation has been to create a collective voice the hobby so it was heartening therefore to hear to the manufacturers particularly in relation to during the Hornby presentation at the weekend the needs of collectors, although membership is that this is an issue that they take very seriously, open to any constituted club be it focused both in terms of product development and how primarily on collecting slot cars or on racing slot they sell Scalextric to the mass market. The new cars. The International Federation of Slot Car ARC App Race Control is clearly aimed at the Clubs now exists as an independent organisation mass market which of course is their core that will co-operate and collectively represent business but there was also mention of their link the interests of the member clubs particularly with Slot.it, their research with racing clubs and during discussions with manufacturers about the the recent move to use tobacco advertising production of club cars. specifically aimed at collectors. The new Federation will now invite clubs

December 2015 7 from across the world to join with a view to forming a collective voice internationally within the hobby. In addition it will also help to promote the hobby across the world particularly with young people. Hornby have been aware of and supportive of our plans to create the IFSCC during our discussions with the SLN.

Membership renewal Moving to matters closer to home if you have not yet renewed your membership then you need to do so now. Andy Smith recently sent out an email to all Club members with details of how to sign up to GoCardless. If you have not yet renewed (and even if you have) do take The landscape is now very different to what advantage of this and sign up to it. It will not just it was thirty five years ago with many different enable the Club to automatically renew your players. We believe that the creation of the membership on your behalf but it will also IFSCC will collectively enhance the influence of enable direct speedy payment for Club cars or our Club and that of other member clubs in this any other purchases from the Club. ever changing arena. This will ultimately be Milton Keynes Swapmeet. good for the hobby, our Club and of course our Milton Keynes Swapmeet. members. The next Club event is the Milton Keynes There is a copy of the charter, including the swapmeet. Another very special car is being goals of the IFSCC and some questions and produced for that event which will take place on answers following this Chairman’s chat so please the 21st February 2016, if you wish to book a do have a look at them. A website will be table please contact Jeremy via his email address, produced and we will keep you informed of new we already have taken bookings for some 30 developments as we go along. However rest tables in total. assured that this initiative will not effect the way I would like to end this Chairman’s Chat by our Club is run but it will hopefully enable us to wishing you and your families a very merry work with colleagues overseas for the good of Christmas. I hope that all you slot car dreams our Club, our members and the hobby as a whole. come true and look forward to seeing you all in the New Year. ■

8 TheThe InternationalInternational FederationFederation ofof SlotSlot CarCar ClubsClubs

What Is The International · To provide a collective voice when dealing with Federation of Slot Car Clubs? manufacturers, retailers, traders and the local, The International Federation of Slot Car national and international media on behalf of Clubs (IFSCC) has been created by the the member clubs. NSCC (UK) and the SLN (Dutch) clubs out · To work together in order to share information of a desire to bring together slot car clubs and and knowledge on slot cars both amongst enthusiasts from across the world. member clubs, manufacturers and other stake The International Federation of Slot Car holders. Clubs is an international body that brings slot · To act as a conduit for information to member car clubs from across the world together in order clubs and also as resource for related to co operate and collectively represent the information both to and from other stake interests of the member clubs, be they clubs holders. focused primarily on collecting slot cars or on · To raise awareness amongst manufacturers racing slot cars. and retailers of the needs of members clubs The International Federation of Slot Car both individually and collectively. Clubs exists as an independent organisation in · To provide a collective voice when advising order to represent the member clubs in the spirit manufactures on all their products. of fraternity and as a conduit for information ·To provide a collective voice for requesting and and influence. negotiating the production of specific products The Federation will also be a partnership and limited editions from the various slot car that brings a collective voice to the manufacturers manufactures on behalf of member clubs. on behalf of member clubs. It will promote the ·To promote the hobby as widely as possible hobby across the world acting as a conduit for particularly with a view to encouraging young information between member clubs, manufacturers, people to become involved in slot cars either as dealers and other stakeholders. collectors or racers. What Are The Goals Of The IFSCC? What Will The IFSCC Not Do? · To create an international partnership of slot It will not exist to provide rules or governance car clubs that represents the interests of the for slot car racing nor will it in any way effect the members clubs when dealing with other stakeholders independence of member clubs. in the slot car world.

December 2015 9 How Can Clubs Join The IFSCC? order to represent its members in the spirit of Established slot car clubs will be able to join for fraternity as a conduit for information and the sum of £15 UK pound or the equivalent influence. It does not exist to provide rules or sum in euros or other international currency. governance for slot car racing. This will cover administration, website and The member clubs agree to: communication between members. · Create an international partnership of Slot Membership will be administered on behalf Car Clubs that represents the interests of the of the IFSCC by the NSCC. members clubs when dealing with other stakeholders in the slot car world. Who Has The Federation Been · Provide a collective voice when dealing with Created For? manufacturers, retailers, traders and the local, Membership is available to properly constituted national and international media on behalf of clubs. No individual membership is allowed. the member clubs. Any slot car club would be eligible for · Work together in order to share information membership whether it is primarily focused on and knowledge on slot cars both amongst collecting slot cars or on racing slot cars. member clubs, manufacturers and other stake holders. When Will The Federation be · Act as a conduit for information to member Launched? clubs and also as resource for related The Federation was launched by the founding information both to and from other stake clubs the NSCC and the SLN at the NSCC/ holders. Hornby weekend in Ramsgate on the 21st · Raise awareness amongst manufacturers and November 2015. retailers of the needs of members clubs both individually and collectively. · Provide a collective voice when advising manufacturers on all their products. · Provide a collective voice for requesting and negotiating the production of specific products and limited editions from the various slot car manufactures on behalf of member clubs. · Promote the hobby as widely as possible particularly with a view to encouraging young people to become involved in slot cars either as collectors or racers. Charter Signed...... NSCC International Federation Signed...... SLN of Slot Car Club

Aim The International Federation of Slot Car Clubs will bring together Slot Car Clubs from across the world in order to co operate and collectively represent the interests of member clubs, be they clubs focused on collecting slot cars or primarily on racing slot cars. The International Federation of Slot Car Clubs exists as an independent organisation in

10 iao everyone and welcome to this month’s edition of Forza Slot.it. I guess Cthis will be the Christmas edition by the time your copy of the NSCC magazine arrives so “Happy Christmas” to one and all and I hope Santa has dropped a slot related present down your chimney! If not, then maybe the slot retailers will be having a New Year sale or maybe you will be saving your Christmas money for the annual Swindon swapmeet or the NSCC Milton Keynes swapmeet? Either way I hope everyone got something they wanted over the festive season. As for me I will let you know in Now I am having to write this column mid- the next edition I guess unless I am a month November as work sees me very busy (no time early! for the NSCC Ramsgate weekend either!) so After last month’s business trip to Barcelona there is not too much for me to report on, but I was most fortunate to be down close to lots may come out between now and when you Gaugemaster in deepest West Sussex so, leaving read this column! I have been notified by Slot.it my colleague to hold the fort and do all the (and spotted on a shelf at Gaugemaster before work!, I bunked off down to Gaugemaster for a in the shops!) of the new SICA17d Porsche couple of hours to have a look around the 962C KH as driven to 1st place at Brands Hatch fabulous shop and to meet Terry. I must say that in 1990 by Walter Lechner. As I said at length Terry was very generous with his time and gave last month, ANOTHER Porsche but this Jim me a fantastic tour of the shop area and a trip Beam sponsored red/white/blue colour scheme behind the scenes to show me how Gaugemaster is very eye catching and my order went in as are investing in the slot related products that soon as it came on the dealers sites a couple of they distribute. Most impressive was the amount days after my visit. It’s not turned up in the post of various spare parts held and the enthusiasm yet, but it will join the rest of my Porkers in the of Terry to continue to improve all things slot Slot.it cupboard when it does. What else? Well related that Gaugemaster do. Thanks Terry, I nothing that I am aware of at this time that I really appreciated your time and insight – have not reported on before so moving on. cheers! This month’s featured car is one I touched on briefly last month having been spotted in Barcelona but not purchased until I got back to Blighty. At the time I did not have said model to hand but now I do and so I decided to share my thoughts with you on this brand new car/chassis combination from Slot.it. The model in question is SICA31a Lola Aston Martin DBR1-2 #009 as

December 2015 11 driven at the Le Mans 24hr race of 2009. This particular car was driven by Peter Kox (Holland and featured driver), Harold Primat (Swiss) and Stuart Hall (GB) and run by Aston Martin Racing GB. Sadly this particular car had a DNF in the race after an on track incident and was classified 40th overall after being retired having completed 252 laps. The sister #008 car fared much better and was running as high as 3rd at drivers names) being the wing mirror colours to one point until an ontrack crash with a GT3 car distinguish individual cars in the race. This and repair time saw it finally slip down the order leaves the door wide open for Slot.it to produce to be classified 13th overall on 342 laps. the whole 2009 AMR field, should they wish to. However, there was a third AMR Eastern Now for a more detailed inspection. The car Europe #007 car in the field as run by the is very (what I would call) slab sided and whilst Charouz Racing System (CHRS) team from the it does have some curves on it, the aero detail Czech Republic that finished as the top running and thinking (and maybe real life budget!) is LMP1 petrol fuelled car in a very creditable 4th from a different era when you compare it to place overall on 373 laps. The winning car that more modern cars. In fact Slot.it have already year being the Peugeot Sport Total 908 HDi produced the “same” car in 2010 form and the FAP Turbo V12 diesel tractor on 382 laps with differences between them are quite pronounced. plenty of ploughed fields that day as diesels filled Hopefully from the pictures of the two cars side the top three places and still seem to dominate by side and my observations you will get a better Le Mans to this day. Bring back petrol I say! idea of how the cars differ. With the background out of the way how Where to start then? At the front I guess and does this particular car stand up to scrutiny? I the first thing that strikes you is the massive chin would have to say very well on first impressions. spoiler with a square at each front corner hacked Let’s face it, this model is in the iconic Gulf out that protrudes in an aggressive way with the livery, which is always a winner, and from the rest of the very low nose of the car. Moving back several pictures I have looked at from the race on over the car from the front, you then have the the internet, Slot.it appear to have the livery, quite lumpy curved inboard side of the front body shape etc. off to a tee. All three cars shared wheel arches moving backwards with a large air the same Gulf Livery with the only difference I intake either side of the cockpit screen that could spot (apart from racing numbers and contrast with the slab outside of the body that➳

12 I mentioned previously. After rising for the and free flowing in design and execution. cockpit area, with channels down either side, the Certainly to me, they are poles apart in terms of body then dips down before rising again over the aero detailing as the real team have obviously/ rear wheels, as well as tapering in at the rear probably invested in wind tunnel testing as well deck between the wheel arches and a quite as CFD to get a much more slippery and aero magnificently modelled upside down kind of friendly package judging by the significant double post rear wing support and duck tail lift increase in curves, angles, body height, ducting, as the rear deck ends. Going back to the sides vents and so on over the whole body of the car. and you have a couple of shark like gills/grills To Slot.it’s credit both models follow their real alongside the cockpit doors with smaller longer counterparts and are a delight to look at as you dark grey grills slightly further back. look for the differences and marvel at the detail Sandwiched between these grills and the rear that has gone into producing both models. wheel are three vertical running lights that Moving back to the new model which has would be illuminated at night for car many indents that represent the bodywork clips recognition. (which are also painted/printed silver) whereas Contrast and compare that with the SICA22b the earlier car has tampo printed catches which, Lola LMP that Slot.it have already modelled on whilst looking good, do not match the current the Le Mans 24hr race of 2010 and the whole ones for finer detail. Having said that the older body shape front to back is much more integrated car has nice flexible aerials but the newer model

December 2015 13 grills/vents above the front wheel arches and you will see how well the registration of the printing is done as four individual sponsor names are printed on separate vents – excellent detail! Going back to the rear end of the car and apart from the marvellous wing detail I have already mentioned then I think the rear aspect of the car is well worth a couple of sentences. Again, from one of the pictures, (hopefully) you will be able to see the two hooks for the tail jack to slot into, the venturi detail, the recessed grills that extend along the whole rear of the car, some rivet type detail which you can run your are very rigid and I very much doubt if they will finger across along the edge of the rear deck and last the first trip off the track that involves any count the rivets, the Michelin sponsor logos but form of roof track/object contact. Another especially the rear lights that curve around the difference that I had not noticed before is that top edges of the end of each rear wheel block. the older 22b car has a mixture of tampo All four wheels on the 31a are black rims, whilst printing and I presume waterslide decals. The the 22b has the same wheel type but in gold to main reason I noticed is that one of them is match that cars livery scheme. All the tyres are starting to peel off which is a first for a Slot.it car Michelin logo shod on both vehicles but the as far as my experience goes. By holding the 22b older 22b ones look better executed and clearer car under a light and looking closely, you can to my eyes. To finish off the rear I will move pick out where all the decals are but this is not back to the rear wings again. The 22b car has a criticism, far from it, as the car looks fabulously what I would consider a more traditional wing detailed to match the real car and the majority with twin central supports with the wing of the livery is tampo printed. The newer 31a perched on top that extends as far as real car has much less of a detailed livery (as on the regulations allow and finishes with the end plates real car) as so everything looks tampo printed to having the red and white Swiss flag emblem on me. In fact, just like the 22b variant, some of the each outer end. The 31a similarly has twin sponsor names are indeed very small but supports that roll over to attach to the top of the perfectly reproduced, crisp, clear and beautifully wing, have bites out of the top of the end plates applied. Just look at the air pressure relieving and embed themselves purposefully into the➳

14 and a particularly fine wiper blade that really looks very accurately scaled unlike some models you see that have a massive 2x4 lump of plastic for a wiper. There is also the 31a single air intake nozzle above the cockpit as opposed to the older model that has a twin nozzle intake, again attention to detail to be applauded. Surprisingly, although it perhaps does not show from the pictures, both cars are the same width but the 31a car is somewhat longer. top of the rear wheel arches. A quick thumb/ Holding both cars in my hands and then finger twist of both rear wings (22b flexes-twists/ holding the base of the chassis’ together you can 31a rigid) suggests that both would probably see that the wheel centres of both models are take a fair thump into the barriers but the older identical but the newer 31a has that jutting 22b model will probably snap first in a serious forward and not very elegant chin spoiler impact – especially on my tracks unforgiving whereas the older (but in real terms newer hardboard barriers! design!) 22b has a much more cohesive front end Moving inside the cockpit and the dashboard design that integrates much more effectively into detail is limited to the steering wheel, the same the overall design of the rest of the body – real as the older car, with no other cockpit detailing life and accurate model detail. At the rear the apparent after a torch inspection. Having said older 31a car has a much longer rear deck. Both that the driver overalls are very nicely detailed cars rear wheel arches end in the same position down the arms with sponsor names (none of but the 31a car has twice the overhang. I also which I can read!) as well as harness belt/buckle noted that the guides are different in that the details and the helmet of Peter Cox looks 22b model has very square edges that form the fabulous although very hard appreciate due to typical oblong guide but the 31a is about 2mm the confines of the cockpit area. I would have to shorter (both have the same depth) but the ends say that I believe that Slot.it do the best driver curve/arc up from the bottom of the guide to helmets of all the current manufacturers out the top. I presume this is better for performance/ there. It’s just a shame we can’t really appreciate sitting in the slot of any type of track? I did not them more! Staying in the cockpit area and all have time to track test this (not that I would the drivers names (can’t read them either!) and notice anyway!) but I suspect that the performance nationality flags are there on both sides as well will be more than adequate out of the box as I as the emergency warning signs, fuel filler detail have never found a slow Slot.it car yet!

December 2015 15 On to the key stats for this car, as stated on content if you do not have several tuning parts Slot.its website which are: standard offset 1.0mm readily to hand. In fact on my visit to Gaugemaster, anglewinder Flat-6 20.5 rpm motor with NO that I mentioned at the start of this column, option for in-line, inline boxer or sidewinder due Terry showed me how committed they were to to the accurate body shape. It should be noted having a fantastic range of Slot.it spares on hand that there are no unnecessary lumps or bumps for retailers to restock with a massive row of in the low slung body shape at the rear to Slot.it spares and other manufacturers stuff as accommodate any of the gearing that you find well. on many similar models so the lack of motor Conclusions then? As always, it’s a Le Mans mount options is a small price to pay for car so why don’t they have working lights Mr. accuracy for this particular model. Back to the Slot.it? I know, stuck record but surely it can be stats and: length 150mm, height 36mm, wheel done at a sensible price? I would say the rigid centres 92mm, width 63mm, weight 80.2 grams, cockpit roof aerials are a mistake as they will 11/28 pinion/gear ratio, 17.3x8 front and snap off at the first upside down off, the 17.3x10 rear rims/tyres and with a Neodymium Michelin tyre printing is a bit weak and my magnet situated in the rear mounted location particular model has a minor problem on the behind the motor. You have the option to move rear deck just in front of the rear spoiler spars the magnet further forward just in front of the as the blue printing is a bit off but nothing motor should you wish to do so. major. Overall, a couple of minor points but it The body/chassis is held in place by two is a very accurate depiction and a nice model of screws (complete with mini washers) fore and aft the real race car in question. I believe this is a and six more screws to hold the anglewinder very worthy addition to the Slot.it range for a motor mount/pod securely in place. There is model that probably has a limited amount of the opportunity for the front axle to be adjusted liveries available (unlike Porsche 956/962s!) so for ride height and to add a digital module (SSD, Slot.it should be commended for providing these Oxigen or Carrera D132) of your choice, if types of models for us all to race and collect. I desired. There is a small plastic bag that wonder what the next livery for this car will be contains the standard Allen key and the little as there are no clues on the Slot.it website, we plastic bits that aid with the fitting of the shall see in due course no doubt? Carrera digital module on the base. Obviously, That’s all I have to report for this month but there are many other tune up bits (just no further once again a big “Thank You” to Terry at motor options for this chassis) available from Gaugemaster and Slot.it for this month’s your local Slot.it retailer to tune to your heart’s information. Ciao and arrivederci till next month. ■

16 elcome to the December Carrera Folllowing on is another German offering, Corner. We have news of three new the BMW M4 DTM 2014, number 20027499. Wcars this month, perhaps some of Marco Wittmann in the 500hp BMW M4 them may make it on to your Christmas list? DTM left the competition behind to become the Firstly we have the VW Kafer “Group5” overall winner of his home championship, the number 20027485. The Beetle is one of the German Touring Car Masters 2014. In its very world’s most frequently built and most first season the BMW racing car was able to frequently remodeled cars. The spectrum of demonstrate its stunning power and achieve a reconstructed Beetles stretches from a 3-wheeler seamless continuation of the success achieved to a 1,000 hp dragster. Carrera is now adding to with the previous model. The M3 DTM also this list with a design based on the Group 5 won the DTM in its first season. The model is version and another facelift. This attractive finished in black and white and carries race model is finished in bright metallic red and number 23. ➳ carries race number 22.

December 2015 17 Finally for this month, we have the Porsche Man and Le Mans” which I have yet to see. I 917 Martini International, number 20027498, have just read a promising review and am very as entered in the Kyalami 9 hours in 1970. The much looking forward to seeing it. real life number 2 driven by Jo Siffert and Kurt Aharens is depicted with this model. The 917’s reputation as one of the most successful racing cars of the 1970s was partly earned in the 9- hour race in Kyalami, South Africa, where it finished second. This attractive model is finished in yellow and red with race number 2. In ‘Le Mans’, the 1971 film starring the Hollywood legend, Steve McQueen, the Porsche 917K played a role almost as legendary as that of the King of Cool himself. We now have the release of the documentary film “Steve McQueen: The

Thanks to Pete Binger of The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net the UK distributers for Carrera, for his help in compiling this column. There are many exciting new models to come from Carrera next year and there should be more news from Carrera next month. In the meantime you can follow Carrera on facebook. Happy Christmas to all readers and fellow Club members. I hope Santa brings you some nice slot cars. ■

18 n an age of tribute liveries it is refreshing to find an iconic livery that actually adorned a I racecar! Although not in period, American amateur racer Eric Heinrich painted his SCCA BMW Club Series M3 E30 in Gulf colours back in 2007. He was so worried that the might of the oil giant might come down on him with a barrage of lawyers claiming abuse of intellectual rights, that at first he refrained from using the actual logos on the car, as contemporary pictures show. However Gulf did not mind at all, and by the Pittsburgh round of the series the logos appeared as modelled. Eric has since won many club races and broke various lap records in the car.

Reference number FS038106 is the BMW M3 E30 as entered in the Pittsburgh Vintage GP 2007, race number 10 as driven by Eric Heinrich. The recommended retail price is £44.95 and the car should be available now Due soon from Fly Slotwings are the two from your favourite supplier. We have pictures of beautiful Team Austria Porsche 917K’s that the model and the car upon which it is based. raced during the 1970 season as a quasi factory

December 2015 19 team alongside the JWA Gulf sponsored cars. Porsche 917K race number 32, which finished Dickie Attwood was a regular driver for this sixth in the Watkins Glen 6 hours in 1970 as team and his name features on both these 917K driven by Kurt Ahrens and Richard Attwood. models. Although looking familiar the orange The retail price for both models is £44.95. car has only been released once before by Fly as We also have artwork drawings of the three the 1970 Le Mans winning car number 23 and Porsche 934/5s that Slotwings hope to start that was over 15 years ago! Both models should making available before the end of the year. find favour with 917 collectors and will These carry a different rear spoiler than produced in very limited runs just to cover previous 934s and will be £44.95, the same demand. The models should be available by the price as the 917s. time you read this. Reference number SLW005-01 is the red Porsche 917K, race number 21, that finished fourth in the 1,000km at Zeltweg in 1970 as driven by Vic Elford and Richard Attwood. Reference number SLW005-02 is the blue

Reference number SLW065-01 is the white Porsche 934/5, race number 61 that finished third in the Sebring 12 hours in 1977 as driven by Jim Busby and Peter Gregg. Reference number SLW065-02 is the Porsche 934/5, race number 8 that finished thirteenth in the Nurburgring 1000km in 1977 as driven by Jurgen Barth and Edgar Doren. Reference number SLW065-03 is the blue➳

20 and yellow Porsche 934/5, race number 44 that finished eighth in the Mid Ohio IMSA in 1977 as driven by Doc Bunty and Roy Woods.

available for collection at the Swindon swapmeet in January, or Milton Keynes in February. Thanks, once again, to Terry Smith, Brand Manager at Gaugemaster Controls Limited www.gaugemaster.com for his help in compiling this column. We have a picture of the NSCC Guy There will be more news from Fly next year. Edwards Brabham’s Bodywork. Final assembly I would like to wish a Merry Christmas to all is being done as I write this, so we are hoping it readers. I hope Santa brings you those slot car will be with the Club before Christmas, and thus related items to add to your collection. ■

December 2015 21 TheThe NSCC/HornbyNSCC/Hornby WWeekeekendend 20152015 By Martin Baines

he NSCC/Hornby Weekend is one of my favourite events of the year. The Tweekend not only provides an opportunity to participate in two days of racing together with a visit the Hornby Visitor Centre but more importantly it also enables Club members to come together and meet up. A chance to meet old friends and to make some new ones. So it was with great enthusiasm that early on Friday morning Barbara and I packed our bags and set off for the annual six hour drive to Ramsgate. Setting off earlier this year meant that we managed to miss the worst of the traffic and had a very pleasant drive down, arriving late Friday afternoon. The removal of the toll booths at the Dartford crossing also removed the usual congestion which made a big difference. However we did have to make a very quick telephone call to Jeremy on the way down in order to find out how to pay the toll. This was eventually paid via the mobile phone whilst at the Watford Gap service station. That sorted we continued our journey and eventually arrived at the hotel in Ramsgate. to our long journey and in anticipation of two After checking in we deposited our bags in our days of hard racing, good food and good room and walked over to the pub. Here a company we decided to make an early night of pleasant evening was spent with fellow members it. over a few beers and an excellent dinner. The First thing Saturday morning after a hearty pub has been altered since last year and it breakfast we boarded the coach for the visit to seemed a lot more roomy resulting in a very the Hornby Visitor Centre in Margate. Prior to pleasant atmosphere. Later in the evening due boarding the coach we had collected our

22 weekend team shirts and those of our fellow team members Brian, Kees and Roger. Naturally Barbara (Mrs. Chair) and I were in the same team. We arrived at the old Hornby factory at Margate and had a short wait before entering the Visitor Centre and the shop. The Visitor Centre and the shop are all that now remains in Margate since the main factory was closed and the staff moved to the new site in Sandwich. Once again Hornby opened up the back room for all NSCC members to view and purchase heavily discounted cars, sets, accessories and track together with a large selection of Airfix items. After the Black Friday experience of previous years Hornby wisely stipulated that this year members could initially only buy up to ten items and only two of the same items. Then after everybody had been around the room at least once they could go back and buy more. This worked really well and everybody present got the opportunity to obtain their purchases in what was a very pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, which seemed to set the mood for the whole weekend. The racing got quickly under way with a What was also great this year was that the break for lunch and continued throughout the bus was ready and waiting when we came out afternoon until around four o’clock. having been well briefed by Shaun not to be late. Once the racing had finished for the day We came back to the hotel in good order to start together with our colleagues from the Dutch the racing before lunch. SLN we made our eagerly anticipated Once again this year we had the four lane announcement that had been hinted at in analogue track and the digital track to race on previous editions of the Journal. As you now in the large room at the hotel with a third track know we have been working with our Dutch provided by Hornby. colleagues on the creation of the International This was the Arc Air track with the app Federation of Slot Car Clubs (IFSCC). The control providing pit stops for tyre wear, formation of the IFSCC and the reasons why it refuelling and the addition of wireless hand has been set up are well covered elsewhere in the throttles which at various critical moments Journal so I will not go into any detail here. during the race vibrated in your hand. Suffice to say that the announcement was➳

December 2015 23 followed by a very productive question and presentation which followed picked up on some answer session with the members present of the themes that members had already been providing some excellent feedback on this new discussing over the weekend regarding the initiative. current state of the hobby. We were treated to an excellent run down of current and future plans for Scalextric and a description of how Hornby undertakes its market research in relation to Scalextric. Hornby is now focused on three specific markets. Those being the mass toy market aimed at young people, the racer market and the collector market. Jamie’s presentation was once again followed by an excellent question and answer session which looked at the need to reach young people and identifying the best way of getting them involved in the hobby. This very interesting presentation and discussion brought The feedback session was then followed by the days proceedings to an end. the signing of the IFSCC Charter. Myself (on We all later reconvened in the restaurant for behalf of the NSCC) and Thera Brok (on what was an excellent three course dinner. This behalf of the SLN) duly signed the IFSCC was followed by the annual auction of Club charter in order to create the new Federation. items and items donated by Hornby which are At the conclusion of the Charter Signing auctioned in order to raise money for charity. and the launch of the IFSCC we were joined by Once again Richard Winter ran the auction for Jamie Buchanan from Hornby Hobbies. Jamie’s the Club and bidding was brisk with high bids

24 being placed for lots of plastic bags of pre production items from yet to be released Scalextric cars. Also in the auction were several NSCC Club cars which went for considerably more than the original cost to members. All the proceeds of the auction going to charity. Every year at the dinner on the Saturday night Stephen Langford runs his excellent quiz which is based around eBay items that have appeared on the Scalextric eBay auction site. The idea is to guess the final bid price that each item achieved at auction from a list of three different options. One of the three options is the wife Barbara scored higher than I did (and she final selling price. also did a pretty good job on the track as well). The quiz is always great fun and this year it What does this tell us? Do men buy at any price resulted in a bit of a revelation. When Stephen and do women have a much more realistic sense marked all the quiz papers he found a surprising of value? Who knows but in any event the trend in the answers. Around eleven couples overall quiz was won this year by Melanie attended the weekend and when the quiz sheets Jeffries who won on a tie breaker. Many were marked it was found that the ladies scored congratulations to Melanie on your win. higher than their male partners in all eleven A good evening was had by all and the next couples. The men were consistently going for day after another wonderful breakfast racing the higher price on each item. The ladies who resumed. During our session on the digital track answered correctly did not. Needles to say my one or two hiccups surfaced with the power➳

December 2015 25 cutting out occasionally due to a short. However During the Sunday lunch we presented the this was soon sorted and racing resumed. To be trophy to the Club member who has done the honest I have never been a big fan of digital but most to support the Club throughout the year. I did seem to enjoy it more this year so I may be I am delighted to say that this years winner was converted yet. Richard James. The award was not just in The opportunity to try out the new recognition of his support and work for the Club Scalextric wireless hand control on the App this year but his work over many years at events track was very nice. It took a while to realise that up and down the country on behalf of the Club. you didn’t have to stay hunched together over Richard as you know was one of the Club’s the lap counter due to the freedom provided by Promotions Officers for several years but even the wireless hand throttles. With realistic pit though he no longer undertakes that role he stops, refuelling and tyre wear it was great fun continues to support the Club wherever he can provided that you came into the pits when told and his award was very much deserved. to as otherwise your car would stop on the track After lunch some of the ladies present took having run out of fuel. Just to make sure that you part in this year’s ladies race taking place over were awake the hand throttle would vibrate and several heats. This year the ladies cars had to rumble at the appropriate time. The lap times tow a plastic caravan around the track. Not an were recorded on this circuit with the fastest over easy job in my opinion. However the eventual the weekend being achieved by John Grubb. winner of the ladies race was Melanie, so well Well done John. done once again Melanie. Diana Francis was due to join us on the Immediately after the ladies race the annual Sunday for lunch but unfortunately had to pull raffle took place with various prizes for the out due to health reasons. We sent her our best winners which included some of the previous wishes and hope to invite her again sometime in years Club cars, some T-shirts donated by the future. Hornby and amongst other items a rather nice Lotus poster that was given to the Club during the recent visit to Historic Team Lotus. During the raffle it soon became apparent due to the numerous multiple winners that some of our members had spent a lot of money on tickets in order to support our Club so congratulations to them and well done. After the raffle the winners of the weekends racing were announced. This year the winning team was Team Sainz who were Andy Smith, Helen Richards, Dave Lord, John Grubb and

26 David Gardiner. Each team member was presented with a goody bag from Hornby which contained a Scalextric car, T-Shirt and various other goodies. Congratulations to them all. Finally the weekend event car was presented to all the members present. This years weekend car (which is a limited run of fifty) was a yellow Scalextric Lotus Exige which is a very attractive model particularly with the Club logo on the roof and the all important certificate made out to the attendee. Then all too soon it was time to pack up and say goodbye. Barbara and I certainly enjoyed the weekend which I think was one of the best that we have attended due as always to the relaxed friendly atmosphere. The weekend was also very well organised and passed without any major hiccups, mainly due to my colleagues on the Committee Jeremy, Andy and Shaun who all worked extremely hard over the weekend to make it a success. Thanks also to Andrew Moreby for the photographs, Richard Winter, Helen Richards, Thera Brok, our Dutch colleagues and everybody else who helped out over the weekend. Thank you also to the staff at the hotel, in addition to Sarah, who controlled the ARC racing on the day, Adrian Norman and Jamie Buchanan at Hornby Hobbies. If you have never been on the NSCC/ Hornby Weekend please do apply to come along next year. You will have a great time, and yes we have already booked the hotel again for the weekend of the 19th and 20th November 2016, so make a note in your diary and hope to see you there. ■

December 2015 27 By Graham Pritchard

ello again all, I can’t believe another year has gone but it has and before you Hask, yes, the wife tells me that I do look another year older, even though I may not act it apparently, but there again, so does she, but she just won’t admit it! Anyway, as is traditional at this time of the year it’s time to say a big “thank you” to Jeremy and the other members of the Committee for being there for us as otherwise we would not have the Club nor our monthly Journal to look forward to, and on that topic I must also thank George Turner, Steve Wright, Dave Jessett, “Digital” layout, which basically means that we Adrian Norman and everyone else who has may have to change the name of the club to either helped me or inspired me to be able to Bearwood Analogue and Digital Scalextric produce my ramblings each month, so without Club, or BAD Scalextric Club for short! But, further ado I wish you all a Merry Chris Hill, seriously though, if any NSCC members out oopppsss sorry that’s my mate in the office, I there who live in the West Midlands area fancy actually want to wish you a Merry Chrismas a go on Paul’s new layout then please do get in and hope to see you at the Swindon swapmeet touch with us as if you’ve never raced Digital th on the 10 January 2016 if all goes to plan. before then you won’t believe how good it is Now, “on with the show” as they say and once it’s all been hooked up with SSDC as then firstly, let’s look at some of our Club’s members’ you can do pit stops, drive through penalties, home layouts as in 2015 we’ve seen the birth of refuelling and real world overtaking by changing some really great home layouts and the first steps lanes as required and when you see how taken towards the formation of the “Bad” wonderful the scenery is on Paul’s track then you Scalextric club! So, what am I on about you are really will feel as though you’re driving on a real probably asking? race track through the mountains etc. trust me.➳ Well, in the current version of Dr Who there was a “Bad Wolf ” presence at times, and in our world we now have a BAD Scalextric Club to contend with as well it seems! So, rather than you all thinking I’ve just gone a bit madder than normal, let me explain and it goes like this. NSCC and Bearwood member Paul Pearson is now virtually there with his newly “purpose built” Scalextric room and layout so now the Bearwood members have the luxury of racing on either the good old “Analogue” layout built by me in 2004 or on Paul’s brand new

28 Now, I know not everyone can be as Even though the lap length may be short fortunate as Paul and our members but you still need to think about your racing strategy even if you only have a tiny space you can still as you drive as it’s very easy to lose several laps put down a worthwhile track as shown by Mark if you are a fraction off the pace or spend too Wadeley (who is another one of our members) much time in the pits. and his home circuit. Having lost half of the Now, if you think that “we’ve got it good” original garage to a utility room then Mark has then we also have the choice of yet another still managed to put down a fully usable track where four people can race together. The track is 8ft x 5ft roughly with a pit lane and as you may have already sussed is also Digital and overseen by that amazing SSDC program once again.

December 2015 29 attending racers complete freedom to move around as they race and as they are fully transferable then you can even bring your own throttle with you if the track owner doesn’t yet have six of his own. I know I may be sounding a bit OTT at times but it IS really hard to not get to like “Digital” once you’ve tried it on a “professional” track like we have the chance to with our club’s members tracks, and given that this really is the age of the “home computer” then perhaps this is where the future of Scalextric really does lie in the not too distant future? But at present we currently have the choice, and that seems even better to me to be honest as in real terms “it’s just another way to use your cars” when you race “digitally” rather than with one-car-per- lane as Mr Francis invented it. So, why not put the traditional Scalextric Set back onto your Christmas list for 2015, after all, that’s what everyone used to do in the good old days, wasn’t it? permanent Digital track as designed by “Father and Son” duo Vic and Alex Fear. This one is also George Turner News in the garage but is somewhat larger at 14ft x 5ft and again it runs SSDC so that as our members visit each others’ houses then everyone knows how things will run etc. straight away.(You will also probably recall that I’ve mentioned Adrian Judge’s home track also in the past as well, so we really are spoilt by all of these home tracks in the West Midlands area, aren’t we?). An added bonus is that some of the track owners are now starting to upgrade their controllers to the wireless “Scorpius” ones that originate from Australia thereby giving all of the

This month, with little introduction, here is George: Hi Graham, the new 1961 Le Mans Corvette is➳

30 now in production and is proving very popular. This has come along with a new moulding for a modified 300S Maserati. That will be the last new release for the year now as the next three weeks will be spent remaking moulds, ready for the new year. Next year I will be starting by making three new ‘50s GP cars. I also have the Jaguar XK120 Coupé on the cards. I was originally going to base this on the Ninco version but I have decided to make a completely new prototype. The Ferrari 375+ 1954 Le Mans car is going back in to production next week along with the 1960 Ferrari 246 GP car. I think after that is done that will be it for the year, finally a bit of time for relaxation and drinking! Merry Christmas to all of my customers. Regards George bed on the Sunday morning and therefore get Wolverhampton Slot Car Club’s 2015 there a bit later in the day to see how they were “Half Tonners” Event getting on and upon my arrival I was met with As regular readers of my stuff will know I always a few “hellos” from the many people there that like to go along to the Wolverhampton club’s I know and after a bit of a rummage in “Honest events as it’s only a few miles away from where Ralphs” bits box where I bought a rather I live and it’s great to meet up with friends old and new as they say especially the ones who travel quite a way and I only see a handful of times a year but for this event however, although I was initially “on the list” I decided to hand over my place to our club’s “rising star” Alex Fear so that the “Master” i.e. James Noake and his “Apprentice” Alex could both race together as Alex has taken rather a liking to these type of events of late, and with James as his teacher then he could go far in years to come I reckon! So, having passed my entry across to Alex it then meant that I could have an extra hour in

December 2015 31 battered “C” Type Jaguar bodyshell (which I intend to try to restore and make into a slot car one day) I started to take some photos of the Anyway, as you may already know these cars various cars that people had built/ brought use Slot.it components in order to make them along as you will see here, but one particular pit run superbly straight out of the box and which area stood out from the rest as it was full of I can also vouch for as my first Slot.it car was a 1970’s F1 cars and I rapidly realised that it Chaparral, and I couldn’t believe how easy it belonged to none other than Andi “Conti” was to drive “straight out of the box” it was like Rowland who is the man behind “Policar” and a car that had had several hours of preparation whom I’d met together with Maurizio (who is done to it already and it was totally unexpected the man behind Slot.it) a couple of years ago I can tell you, nothing like we had been used to when I ran the Heart of England racing event at our club before, but then again we choose to at the UK Slot Car Festival for Sean from race the cheaper brands/ older models so I guess Pendle Slot Racing. Now, if you look back to last that would explain that one to be fair. But month’s Journal you will see on page 3 that there anyway, having grabbed hold of Andi for a chat was an advert for the new “Policar” range and I then discovered that the actual car I was the first car that was featured was the Lotus 72 holding was one of only three in existence at in the red, white and gold “Gold Leaf ” livery present, and the only one here in the UK, and and yes, whilst I fully appreciate that all of the it was the very car that I have mentioned above, rest of the writing was in foreign, at least the except that Andi had changed over the rear hubs pictures were in English (A bit like when you go for the day as the standard car comes with the abroad anywhere, whilst all the locals may speak inserts already fitted and he even offered me the the local dialect you always seem to find that the chance to drive it at the end of the day ➳ dogs bark in English!). (Uuummm, I’m sure that’s what he said, or was

32 I dreaming?) but unfortunately I couldn’t stay assure you that the standard of workmanship until the end but I know he was planning on would put many others to shame, such is the letting people have a go with the black Lotus level of craftsmanship of his work I think I’m that he also had with him once the planned getting better but I’ll never be that good! I even racing had finished, and judging by the managed to get him to pose for a photo with our comments made after these test drives it really club Champion James Noake as well as with his is something special and will not disappoint you Lotus, so nice one Andi, and thank you for in any way I feel! bringing the cars to the event and for letting me But the best thing about these cars Andi said have some inside information about them, it is is that they will be very competitively priced so very much appreciated. that they will be directly comparable to Hornby Right, back to the main event and the racing and FLY etc. and Andi has designed an ingenious and there was a race in the morning for the 1.5 way to make the back of the car as flat as litre cars, think 1950’s Sharknose Ferrari etc. possible by the use of an extra geared axle so together with a race in the afternoon for the that there is no large contrate gear as you would later cars of the 1970s era like the JPS Lotus etc. normally find on a slot car with the potential and these cars varied from Penelope Pitlane bulge in the body , which is a very clever way chassis to Richard Mack chassis to “home indeed of solving an age old problem, and no made” piano wire and brass plate chassis but the doubt adds to the performance of the car on the one thing that they all had in common was that track as well I reckon, and apart from anything they were fast, very fast! Checkout the photos to else it makes it look absolutely superb. Andi also see how some of them had been built and you’ll had a few other cars of his on display and I can see what I mean. And I bet you wish you’d been

December 2015 33 there now, don’t you? I certainly felt privileged to be honest as to be able to hold and 3 Litre Class Gp7 photograph one of only three items in existence 1. Ian James. has to be something very special – “right time, 2. Mike Thomson. right place” syndrome for once I think you’d call 3. Mick Kerr. it? Anyway, I’d better come back down to earth I have got to say many thanks to Bill now and tell you that at the end of the day’s Charters and all the Wolves crew for staging yet racing then the final placings were as follows: another very enjoyable event, and we look Concours forward to the next one which is the “Early 1. Jon Grainger’s Arrows A2. Birds” race for very early Formula One cars in 2. Andi Rowland’s Lotus 21. March 2016, and which I believe is almost a 3. Andi Rowland’s Brabham BT42. total sell out as I am writing this, such is its Half Tonner Gp popularity. 1. Pete Crane. 2. Phil Field. Aston Martin DB2 Resin Kit 3. Mike Thomson. 3 Litre Class Gp5 1. Dick Smith. 2. Eddie Grice. 3. Mick Langridge. 3 Litre Class Gp6 1. James Noake. 2. Bryan King. 3. Mick Langridge.

You might remember that several months ago I showed you a couple of Aston Martin DB2s that South Manchester racers Tim Renshaw and Eric Igo had built, well having finally got around to deciding that “I really ought to get me one” I made contact with a guy called John Warren or “Munter” as he goes by on Slotforum,➳

34 and it turns out that he actually lives in New Zealand so this could well be the most far away painted” Scalextric SR Holden Commodore off car that I have ever bought, unless China is Edward at our club I then decided to see what closer that is? could be done with it, and having looked back at a feature that Richard Hammond did on an old Top Gear together with some pictures that the Australian NSCC members had sent in a few years ago then the answer soon came to me in that it needed to become a UTE! So, there you go then, my take on a Holden UTE and sorry, but I don’t have any pictures of how I did it as it but it was basically cut the rear end off (rear windows, roof and back window) to boot level and then make and attach a new flatbed section together with fabricating some triangular side pieces to blend in the cab bit to the rest. I know it’s not a true copy of the real thing but in my world I can only do so much Anyway, having got chatting with John via “model making” (e.g. where the work involves email then I’ve ordered the said product and am flat sections then I can do it but if it’s a complex currently waiting for it to come in the post, and curve like on a VW Beetle for instance then I I’ve also discovered that he does quite a few don’t even try) and therefore I keep it simple other cars as well to be honest, so I think that I wherever possible so that it can be done will be going back for more at some point for reasonably well rather than badly or not at all. certain. No doubt my build will not come out as expertly as Tim and Eric’s did, but if you don’t try you don’t know, do you? So, I will report back in the future as to how it does actually go, but it may well be in the very distant future as you know what I’m like when it comes to finishing these resin kits!

Holden Ute Conversion “Here’s one I prepared earlier” like two or three years ago, as having bought a “rather badly

December 2015 35 Now, the real beauty of this one though is I also did it on the rear deck in a bid to disguise that it still fits onto the standard Hornby chassis the glue problem mentioned above which it did as I utilised the original front mounts but had to quite well to be honest but having revisited it for make my own ones at the back using plastic tube this article then I have decided to go all the way of two sizes so that the inner one fitted into the and repair/ repaint it fully, which I intend to do larger one and then I used Blu-Tack to form the once it warms up a bit outside. You will also note individual areas where I wanted the Araldite that I’ve removed the SR windows too and will Rapid to sit to bond the tubes to the body. therefore need to make some more from some plastic packaging which can be found very easily in the “cakes section” of Sainsbury’s currently!

But, unfortunately when I was initially making the model then I used a bit too much glue on the rear section and it ended up Some New “Unusual” Resin Bodies deforming the flat bed slightly and so this is why From Pendle Slot Raci the back bit looks a bit patchy as I have now As well as launching a newly revamped website decided to cure that error once and for all with as you may have already noticed, Sean and the some filler and some wet ‘n’ dry paper and then team at PSR have recently added a Citroen a partial repaint, but at present the main body 2CV van and Morris Minor Pickup to their very colour is Tamiya TS-10 French Blue with a very extensive range of resin bodies that they do. light “dusting” of silver to give it a metallic look I myself bought a Renault 4 van resin body which is achieved by spraying the silver over the off eBay several months ago now and which I blue VERY gently and from a large distance haven’t even thought about starting yet before away so that it literally just about reaches the car. you ask but it always surprises me how there➳

36 can be sufficient interest in weird variations of else better to do for a couple of days (OK, I had, some things. I’ve been thinking of trying to do but I chose to ignore them instead) and after a VW Beetle pickup for ages now but can’t bring many hours of messing about with Plasticard, myself to cut up a good Beetle body in order to filler, Superglue and wet ‘n’ dry paper then I try to do it in case the whole thing ends up being managed to create these two little items out of a complete disaster and ends up in the bin, but something that would otherwise have ended up one thing, OK, two things I recently did get in the rummage boxes at a swapmeet or similar. around to was trying to do something with a couple of 1970’s Mini Coopers that were just Breaking News - Morris Minor lying around because on both of them the rear Lands In IPA! window area was cracked, and so with nothing Having looked at Eric Igo’s Morris Minor from last month’s Journal that many times it has finally resulted in me ultimately deciding that I really should have done mine like that in the first

December 2015 37 place so I finally decided to go for it and put the primer well at least for the first attempt and see bodyshell into the IPA and see what happened, what it came out like with the idea being to then and most fortunately for me it came out OK as cover it with a few coats of Johnson’s Klear in I couldn’t get the headlights off the body prior order to make it glossy like Eric’s. to immersing it as I’d Super-glued them on At present I’ve only got as far as trying to do rather too well so just in case the IPA didn’t like some of the detailing but as usual the best ideas them I decided to try to protect them with some don’t always turn out like they should and so as it Blu-Tack and it seems to have done the trick as wasn’t going too well at the time then I decided to they still look OK basically. put it to one side and do something else, but here’s So, now for spraying it well, rather than how it stands at present, and hopefully it shouldn’t going out and buying a tin of grey paint I be too long before it’s finished and hopefully decided to cheat somewhat and simply use grey somewhere near as good as Eric’s looks. ➳

38 (which I find can tend to go everywhere I didn’t actually want it) I’ve found a really easy way to fill them is to use some Milliput as you can make some very tiny balls of it and then press one into place and with a bit of spit, sorry water, you can make it smooth virtually straight away and once fully cured you will never know that there was a problem.

And Finally For This Year Then, I Mini Sanding Blocks For Resin Kits Give You “The Motor Museum” You know when you do bodywork repairs on a – But In Miniature real car or around the house it is always best to Somehow whilst I was looking for pictures of real cars wrap your sandpaper or wet ‘n’ dry paper on the www recently I came across this place : http:/ around a flat square block, well when you need /www.themotormuseuminminiature.co.uk/ and to do it on a slot car then I’ve found that the what a find it turned out to be! Turns out that they ideal solution for this is a normal pencil eraser make models of their favourite cars and then show trust me, it works a treat (And wet sanding them off as part of a miniature motor museum so obviously keeps the dust out of the air and your when you’ve a spare minute then please take a look as lungs, also). it really is something to be admired honest! So that is all for another month, indeed Filling Air Holes On Resin Kits another year, and I take this opportunity to wish You know how sometimes you get the odd air you all Merry Christmas and a have a happy bubble/ hole in some resin kits, well rather than New Year. ■ trying to use Revell’s Plasto filler or similar

December 2015 39 ell I was wrong again, as I figured track? It was very frustrating at the time though, the Scalextric Weekend Car would and presumably the chance of such a Did Not W be a Formula One Tyrrell, although Finish would increase if the same system was I was hoping it would be a JPS Lotus 72. In the used on a larger track, as it would take longer for end it turned out to be a Lotus Exige, so at least a car to reach the Pits, unless this is adjustable? I was half right, and as it’s in my favourite colour In the system’s defence, I did notice one of yellow, I’m not complaining! great advantage of the Air set up is that the hand throttles are wireless, which would be an enormous advantage on a home track, allowing competitors to drive and marshal from any part of the track they wished.

In the spirit of “The Gringe”, I thought I did have a reason to complain though, as while leading a race on the Arc Air track at Ramsgate, I pulled in to refuel (admittedly after missing the spot the first time around after the “Pit” The other digital layout suffered from a few instruction occurred) only to be snookered by an electrical faults during the weekend too, which unjust “DNF” message and a picture of a was put down to marshals shorting out the two spanner to add insult to injury. This apparently contact rails when re-slotting crashed cars. was the end of the race and my slower Mmmm, I’m not sure about that one. I know on competitor had won! at least one occasion it was because a loose body I’m not sure if this is a design fault or an screw fell into the slot. The faults were sorted in intentional rolling of the dice perhaps, to ensure double quick time though by our Club’s digital the same driver doesn’t always win on a home experts. ➳

40 The best track of course, and most reliable 5.Blue Vintage Alfa Romeo C65 £135.00 too, was the four lane analogue track, scene of (141767144096). some fast and furious racing on Saturday and 6.Green D-Type Jaguar C60 £92.86 some carnage on Sunday as cars with caravans (191658602411). were issued to the competitors in the Ladies 7.Yellow Australian Lotus C54 £86.18 race. (321911777157). Dave Parish was fortunate recently to find 8.Blu Australian Lotus C54 £77.38 an original GP2 Scalextric Set for £73.99 on (321910876547). eBay that contained rubber track in remarkably 9.Green Lotus (Swivel Guide) C63 £72.00 flat condition, plus original blue and green (301799781413). Vanwalls (361431237437). Dave has a nostalgic 10. Red Vanwall C55 £70.00 (361413399445). affection for these sets, as his first Scalextric Set We haven’t covered the whole range of these was a GP2. I picked up a Legends Vanwall cars yet, so let’s carry on: myself at Margate. 11. Blue Sharknose Ferrari (Swivel Guide) C62 Dave was telling me he is collecting the £63.00 (301799774680). original C54 to C65 Scalextric cars, some of 12. Blue Aston Martin DBR1 with Lights C57 which have the loop braids Dave favours, so £62.50 (301755708284). sounds like a good excuse for a Top Ten to me: 13.Green BRM C59 Best Offer above £59.00 (141784776648). C54-C65 eBay Top Ten 14.Blue BRM C59 £59.00 (301771805544). 1.Yellow Sharknose Ferrari (Double Guide) C62 15.Red Porsche C61 £57.00 (361426651358). £348.22 (221937597054). 16.Yellow French BRM C59 £52.50 2.Yellow Vintage Alfa Romeo C65 £210.05 (161825151446). (151857422976). 17.Yellow Aston Martin DBR1 C57 £52.00 3.Green Vintage Bentley C64 Best Offer over (262030121007). £155.00 (252160854116). 18.Blue Cooper C58 £51.00 (301749463532). 4.Two Black Vintage Bentleys C64 £155.00 19.Yellow Lister Jaguar C56 £49.99 (221916332850). (262030120403).

December 2015 41 20. Green Lister Jaguar C56 £49.99 (391279064677). The Vintage cars were always going to Good price achieved by the grey Fiat 600. At feature strongly in this top ten, although who £849.99 it must be approaching the value of would have guessed a Sharknose would be tops? some of the full size fiats. In fact there is a blue➳ It looks like yellow and blue are the most popular colours, followed by green, red and black. I picked up a brace of Bentleys myself at Margate, but more modern ones, of course. It’s not often as an eBay seller that you meet your buyers face to face, except when they personally collect large items, so I was very pleased when Steven Axford introduced himself to me at the Hornby Weekend. Steven had bought a Limited Edition Scalextric car from me a couple of years ago, and some of my duplicate NSCC Journals too. I’m glad they went to a good home.

Monthly eBay Watch Top Ten 1.Scalextric 1960’s James Bond Set “Best Offer” over £1,250 (321896187470). 2.Spanish Scalextric Grey Fiat 600 £849.99 (371487555019). 3.Scalextric 1960’s Motorbike and Sidecar Set £819.45 (151889176016). 4.Cox 1/24 Chaparral 2E £739.09 (262128298779). 5.Scalextric 1960’s Black & Green C76 Minis “Best Offer” over £703.46 (321928816445). 6.Aurora AFX HO Foyt Indy Special in Japanese Box £630.35 (252173760723). 7.Scalextric Digital 4 Car Set £629.95 (400857957709). 8.Hobby Classic Pegaso Transporter £626.09 (141829876041). 9.Aurora T Jet 21 Cars Collection £605.13 (231737617108). 10.Cox 1/24 Dynamic Renegade £596.51 (262128233200).

42 fair, I had been after one for a while now, to replace my model of the previously issued version, which has a broken roof pin. The discount for club members at the till was a welcome surprise too. I did feel it was sad though, to see the front doors of the Margate Factory boarded up, with arrows on them pointing to the side entrance where the Visitor Centre remains at present. basket case, sorry I mean “complete restoration There was a poster outside the Visitor Centre, project” Fiat 500 advertised at present on eBay informing us that it is to be moved too in early for £1,595.00 (171985762462), apparently a lot 2016, to Ramsgate, so it looks like this was our of welding is needed. I saw a nice example in the last chance to visit the historic Margate Factory. back streets of the Costa Brava once. Adrian Norman was unfortunately unable Nice to see 007 at the top of the charts this to join us at this year’s Hornby Weekend, but he month. He also made a surprise guest appearance at was there in spirit, as we were able to buy an the Hornby shop in Margate during the Scalextric example of his Mini Challenge Car in the shop. weekend. He did look a bit flat to me though. Jamie stepped into the breach instead, and Known as a “Silent Salesman” these cardboard gave us an interesting presentation including cut outs certainly do their job, as I was unable to resist the urge to buy one of the Goldfinger Bond Cars with working ejector seat, although to be

December 2015 43 both historical and recent developments in the I think their chequered flag logo is wonderful, design of our favourite vehicles. It sounded as but I was outbid in the end and I think it sold though there may be a new historical car in the for £100.00. offing soon, that sounded like exciting news. I To me, one of the most interesting item tried to quiz Jamie to find out which decade he featured in the auction was the bodyshell of a had been researching, but he wouldn’t let on. certain black road movie car, which I look I played with fire by bidding occasionally forward to buying once the production versions against the “Big Boys” in the charity auction on are available. Saturday night, and was pleased to win a factory I believe overall the auction raised in excess hand painted version of the Oase Astra for of £4,000 towards Hornby’s charity and a £35.00, while most items went for a lot more. I further £1,500 or so was raised towards the must admit I was a little disappointed to discover Club funds, so well done at all who attended, it was only a rolling shell and only has two tyres, and to those who of course provided the and the paint is rather chipped, but at least the auction items. auction was for a good cause. Bidding at the Finally, if you don’t know what to buy your auction moved quite fast, and I found myself other half for Christmas, how about a Scalextric offering £80.00 for one of the Dutch Scalextric Car? I’ve got this one to pop into Emma’s Club’s VW Vans, which I do quite like because Stocking so I hope she likes it? ■

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